Mount Kupé Bushshrike – searching for a rare bird

One of the top birds of the Bakossi Mountains is Serle’s Bushshrike (Telophorus kupeensis) – better known as Mount Kupe Bushshrike. This fresh morning had started almost exactly like the previous, unsuccessful birding morning. But this time we take another trail. At the very beginning, we see the remains of a camp where scientists had… Continue reading Mount Kupé Bushshrike – searching for a rare bird

Strenuous hike for Mount Kupé Bushshrike

We had a very good breakfast at 5:30. John-Pierre and his team were busy supplying us with a lot of food. We departed at 6:00 with our Rockjumper-guide along the Max’s Trail through farm bush with palms and banana trees up on Mt Kupé. The other option is the Shrike Trail which is a famous,… Continue reading Strenuous hike for Mount Kupé Bushshrike

Orange-tufted Sunbird in the Cameroon Mountains

The hilly area with the lush greenery, the fern bushes and the tree strips gives an impression of Scotland. In addition, it is – at least for African conditions – really pleasant tempered, not to say cool. This should be a top spot for nectar birds? My doubt is answered within minutes. The sunbirds to… Continue reading Orange-tufted Sunbird in the Cameroon Mountains

The Black Scrub-Robin, a rare Western Palearctic bird

Dry Sahel seems to be a hostile living environment in the dry season. Nevertheless it is home to a charismatic species found across the Sahel region of sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal east to the Red Sea coast of Sudan and Eritrea I Africa: the Black Bush Robin or Black Scrub-Robin (Cercotrichas podobe), an inhabitant of… Continue reading The Black Scrub-Robin, a rare Western Palearctic bird

Fraser’s Sunbird with young in Campo Maan National Park/ Cameroon

Not only does the Campo Maan National Park have to offer the Gray-necked Rockfowl (Picathartes oreas), but also a lot of other birds that you will not find in other parts of the world. One Highlight was a sequence of shots of a Fraser’s Sunbird feeding its young at the edge of Campo Maan National Park.… Continue reading Fraser’s Sunbird with young in Campo Maan National Park/ Cameroon

African Pied Hornbill in the dust bath in the Campo Maan National Park / Cameroon

On the way back from the Campo Maan National Park after a very successful search for the Grey-necked Rockfowl (Picathartes oreas) we drive on the last day straight into a hollow and then look over a ridge, which makes the track in the slightly wavy national park. Before us, dust swirls in the middle of… Continue reading African Pied Hornbill in the dust bath in the Campo Maan National Park / Cameroon

Mount Kupé Bushshrike – some aspects on equipment & logistics

I had been very successful in the Bakossi Mountains with the Mount Kupe Bushshrike (Telophorus kupeensis) – also known as Serle’s Bushshrike. After an unsuccessful first day on an expedition in these Afrotropic mountains, my indispensable guides and me encountered a total of 7 individuals of the Mount Kupe Bushshrike until the end of the… Continue reading Mount Kupé Bushshrike – some aspects on equipment & logistics

Orange Weaver near nest on Sanaga River

The sun was already up and shining. The mighty Sanaga River laid in beautiful light in front of us. A small wooden boat was hired for this morning to pick us up at a sand pit at the shore of the river for a morning trip on the water. When we arrived, nobody was there.… Continue reading Orange Weaver near nest on Sanaga River

Grey Pratincole at Sanaga River/ Cameroon

The black eyestripe which curves down behind the eye, the light chestnut nape, and the white supercilium features a small beauty: the Grey Pratincole (Glareola cinerea). Add a light grey for the upperparts and a white rump with a black tail you are ready with the ID. The excursion to the Sanaga River in the… Continue reading Grey Pratincole at Sanaga River/ Cameroon

CAMEROON – a birding trip to south-western Cameroon

INTRODUCTION Having participated in a Rockjumper Trip to Cameroon with a 3-week itinerary in April 2017 I knew that Cameroon is likely the number 1 birding destination in Western Africa with a big potential of seeing more but in a 3-week itinerary in a group of 11 participants. A trip list in April of 537… Continue reading CAMEROON – a birding trip to south-western Cameroon

Out of area Common Whitethroat in Cameroon

A Common Whitethroat (Sylvia communis) is a common warbler in the Western Palaearctic. But not in February. The same is true, if you see the Common Whitethroat in in the litoral province in southern Cameroon. On a way back from a successful hike on Mount Cameroon, we were lucky to be surprised by this Western… Continue reading Out of area Common Whitethroat in Cameroon

Photography of Grey-necked Rockfowls between rocks in Cameroon

After having arrived in the rock-cut cathedral of giant boulders to see the Grey-necked Rockfowl (Picathartes oreas), called also the Red-headed Picathartes, in the Campo Maan National Park in April 2017, we settle down to wait. Be patient and wait. This is the motto. We are still pretty early. It is just 4:00 pm. I… Continue reading Photography of Grey-necked Rockfowls between rocks in Cameroon